A δ-function model of facets

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-20-2001

Abstract

Facets or planar surfaces appear often on crystalline solids, and need to be accurately modeled in studying surface evolution. Previous models of facets prescribe the surface free energy γ as a function of crystallographic orientation θ. However, when the anisotropic is strong, the reduced surface energy γ + d2γ/dθ2 can become negative, which may induce ill-posedness in surface evolution problems. Here, we prescribe the reduced surface energy instead of the surface energy. This approach allows arbitrarily strong anisotropy, but avoids the ill-posedness. Further, a facet is represented by the Dirac delta function. This is the first time that the delta function is used to model facets. The new approach is demonstrated by modeling two-dimensional equilibrium square crystals. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Surface Science

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